Out on a Limb and the Roots
by Tracey
Summary: Hermione has something to say, but will Harry listen to her? Or is it too late? My first H/Hr fanfic, please be kind and review!
1. Out on a Limb: What Hermione needs to sa...

Out on a Limb  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Co. They belong to J.K. Rowling or someone powerful like that.  
  
Hermione smiled slightly as she let the sun warm her skin, filtering through the many leaves of the tree   
she was sitting in.   
  
Being now in her sixth year, she felt utterly alone and heartless. Not in a cold way, like Voldemort, of   
course, but in a sad, no boyfriend kind of way. She had loved Harry since he disappeared during the   
TriWizard Tournament. She had been extremely worried about her friend, and felt sorry for everything   
that the hideous Rita the Reporter had put all of them through. The article about her, Krum, and Harry   
was pretty bad, but if she hadn't figured out that Rita was an Animagius in time…Hermione sighed.   
  
'Let's not get into that.'  
  
Hermione sighed again and shifted slightly so she could see the castle better. In the distance, she saw Ron   
trying to catch Lavender Brown who was running away, dodging behind a tree while Ginny, Harry, Cho,   
and a few others laughed.   
  
'Playing tag,' she thought, and picked up a novel she pulled out of her bag that hung on one of the sturdy   
branches. The cover had a young man with a wand fending off an evil dragon, protecting a girl. The   
young man was saying something, and the dragon was rearing onto its hind claws.   
  
"Ah…of course, I must have brought my Wizard copy of it instead my Muggle one," Hermione noted   
aloud, but flipped open the book and began reading. She didn't know how long she was there for, but   
since classes were dismissed early on for the heat, she could only guess hours went by.   
  
* * * * *  
  
On the ground:  
  
"Hey, Harry!" Cho called, her short, stylish black hair waving as she ran up to him. She wore Capri's and   
a tube top under her robes, which were open.   
  
"Cho?" Harry asked. He watched her pause in front of him, her hands on her knees as she caught her   
breath.   
  
"Hey, have you seen Hermi? I've looked everywhere for her!" Cho said breathlessly. They had been going   
out for nearly a month, but when they both admitted having feelings for two different people. Both had   
come to a surprise.   
  
"No, I haven't seen her all day. I thought she'd be in the library or common room or with Hagrid." Harry   
answered her, running a hand through his messy, black hair. They fell right into place again, like he   
never brushed them.   
  
"Same. I checked the library, Ginny checked the common room, and Ron checked with Hagrid. She's   
nowhere to be found. We thought that maybe you could find her," Cho replied, the finally stood straight.   
Harry nodded.   
  
"Sure. I'll do my best. If I don't find her by nightfall, tell Dumbledore," Harry told her, and watched her   
sprint back to where Ron, Lavender and more stood.   
  
Harry turned away and began thinking of all Hermione's favourite places to go. There was Hagrid's…but   
she wasn't there…Hmm…  
  
"That bench," he answered, snapping his fingers. It was the same bench that Hagrid had told Madam   
Maxime that he was a half-giant. Harry, in his fifth year, had brought Hermione there at the beginning of   
the year, a blindfold over her eyes for a surprise.   
  
::flashback::  
  
"Harry?" Hermione's excited voice called out, as she reached in front of her to try to reach for him. Harry   
darted out of her way.   
  
"Not yet," he taunted, and grasped her hands. "Steps."  
  
"Steps?" She repeated, shock in her voice. "We're not going outside in the rain, are we?"  
  
Harry only laughed and pulled her close to him. Finally reaching his destination, he pulled the blindfold   
off and said "ta da!"  
  
Hermione laughed and widened her eyes in delight. They sat down on a bench, a few candles floating in   
bowls that were placed around the bench.   
  
"I wasn't planning on it to be raining," Harry smiled apologetically. "I hope this will do." He held his   
hand out to her, and they danced to a song only they could hear.   
  
"Happy Birthday," Harry murmured into her ear, brushing a strand of her wild brown hair away.   
Hermione pulled back, and smiled up at him.   
  
"harry, this was the best birthday present I could ever have!" She then hugged him tightly and they   
continued to sway to the music.  
  
They watched the rain pour down around them, as an old oak tree sheltered them from its onslaught.   
  
::end flashback::  
  
"The tree," he whispered, and took off sprinting in that direction. Finally spotting the bench, he looked   
around and didn't see her.   
  
"Damn," he muttered, finally admitting defeat and slumping down on the bench, resting his head in his   
hands, propped up by his elbows resting on his knees.   
  
* * * * *  
  
Hermione looked up form her book, in her crouch form, when someone muttered "damn" near her.   
Looking around, she finally looked down and saw Harry sitting on 'their' bench.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione murmured to herself, and let herself get into a day-dream state. She barely had time   
to notice that her book fell from her lap and hit Harry on his head.   
  
"Holy"— Harry jumped up, rubbing his head where the book hit him. He reached down, and read the   
cover.   
  
"Hermione?" He called, tilting his head back to look up into the branches.   
  
"Hey, Harry!" Hermione called back, trying to sound calm, even though she was silently cursing herself   
for being so careless.   
  
"Where are you?" Harry called, trying to spot her.   
  
Hermione grabbed her bag, tossed it down, nearly hitting him again, and then carefully climbed from one   
branch to another. Finally reaching the last one, she jumped, landing on her feet.   
  
"I was up there," she replied innocently.   
  
"Really?" Harry asked her, cocking an eyebrow up.   
  
"Yeah," she grinned. Bending, she picked up her bag and pointed to the book. "Uh…"   
  
Harry broke out of his gaze and looked down. He still held her book in his hands. He grinned nervously.   
"So…this is yours." He handed it to her, and they brushed fingers. Both of them blushed and moved a few   
feet apart.   
  
"You remember…?" Harry finally asked, as the sun was blotted out of the sky by a dark cloud.   
  
"My birthday? I can never forget," Hermione finished off. Harry held out his hand.   
  
"Care to dance?" He asked her. She accepted, and moved into his arms. They swayed back and forth to   
no tune, not talking for quite some time before a slight drizzle descended.   
  
"Um, Hermione? There's something I need to tell you," Harry finally said, clearing his throat.   
  
Hermione looked up and whispered, "me too."  
  
"On three?" he chuckled nervously. She nodded. "One…two…three…"  
  
"ILIKEYOU!" they both blurted out, and blushed, but not moving out of each other's embrace. They   
continued rocking, and finally Harry burst out laughing.   
  
"And here I thought you only liked me as a friend!" He choked.   
  
Hermione grinned and began laughing too. "same here!" Finally, the laughter calmed down and   
Hermione sighed contentedly in Harry's arms.   
  
"So…uh…what were you doing, out on a limb?" Harry finally asked, and Hermione playfully swatted   
him.   
  
She took a deep breath and began telling him her long story.   



	2. The Roots: Hermione's story

The Roots  
  
  
When I first began to notice boys, as one would put it, was in the fourth year at Hogwarts. The first boys I   
noticed where the ones in the older grades, like Cedric -  
  
::(Harry snorted in displeasure at this, but with a hush from Hermione, he shut up and continued talking)::   
  
It was only natural for girls to like him, after all, he was the most popular boy in school, and was very   
good-looking. So after a while, I began scouting boys out, like Lavender and Parvatti taught me how -   
  
::(Harry looks horrified here, his jaw open as Hermione just shrugs)::  
  
-to find them. Even after a while, Cho would come up to me every so often and smile, or said a simple   
"hello." It was quite pleasing that one of the most popular people in school said "hello" to me!  
  
But when your name was enter in the Goblet of Fire, I began to fear what might happen to one of my best   
friends. That when I realized you. You, my Harry Potter, my great friend, was one of those Perfect Dates   
that the girls would talk about. That when I noticed the looks girls gave you in the halls as we walked -   
the three of us - or you and me. I would get this feeling in the bottom of my stomach, but I placed it   
aside for a bit.   
  
But when that happen more than once and a few times a day, I began to wonder. So, I went to the   
hospital ward. What she told me was wrong, it just had to be. I was jealous that people were looking at   
you that way?   
  
I completely discarded it, but once I got back to class, and had the feeling again, I knew I was wrong, and   
that Madam Promfry [sp?] was right.  
  
I loved Harry Potter. Along with a hundred other girls in the school. What a joke, how was I going to get   
you to notice me? (Harry grumbles something about knowing it the whole time when Hermione sends him   
a death glare and he shuts up again) So I decided to play it cool. I wanted what was best for you that year,   
but when you disappeared in the maze, all I could do was cry! I couldn't loose you, not to He-shall-not-be-  
name -  
  
::("VOLDEMORT! Dammit, Hermi, say his name. He's dead," Harry growled, somewhat playfully and   
agitated. "He has a name too, y'know. Or you could call him Tom Riddle."   
  
Nodding, Hermione took a breath a began again)::   
  
- I couldn't loose you, not to Voldemort.   
  
But when you came back, I was relieved until I noticed you came back alone, when I was sure Cedric   
went with you. That's when Mad-Eye Moody took you away after talking with Dumbledore. I was sure   
something was up. Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron and I quickly found Madam Promfry and began to ask her   
where you were.   
  
I saw you the same time Mrs. Weasley did, but I only noticed how you looked - head hung low, your   
wild bangs covering your eyes, when you looked up, your eyes were so shadowed, so EMPTY I couldn't   
believe it. I knew something horrible happened.   
  
After that semester was over, I wondered about you and if you were safe everyday. Hearing nothing in the   
Daily Prophet, I was relieved until I thought that the Dursley's were dead or something worse than that! I   
kept letters with Ron constantly, making sure everything was fine with all of you, every single Weasley,   
even the Dursley's.   
  
When we went back to Hogwarts for our fifth year, I breathed again when I saw you in the crowd. I was   
so happy, that's why I hugged you. Ron knew I was worried - we wrote the whole summer. He knew also   
how I felt about you. He was a little disappointed, I truly think he liked me for a bit in third and fourth   
year, but he told me he and Lavender got together that summer, so he was over me. Hopefully, that is. -  
  
::(Hermione looks doubtful here, and Harry pats her back comfortingly.   
  
"Sure he is," Harry says, nodding his head to emphasize.)::  
  
Well, anyway. Those last three years went in a blur. First, Ron and Lavender get together at school. Ginny   
and Colin [Authoress ducks here while rotten fruits are thrown at her] get together, Ron yelling at Ginny,   
Ginny crying, Ron breaking up with Lavender, you getting together with Cho, Ron and Lavender getting   
back together, Cho breaking up with you.It went on and on, break-ups, together again, it was so   
confusing. I still think Ron and Lavender have the most break-up records ever in the history of Hogwarts,   
I should really look that -  
  
::("Hermione! Just go on with your story! You can check those later," Harry sighed, running a hand   
through his hair.   
  
Hermione nodded. "Right." She then placed a piece of her brown hair behind her ear and took a deep   
breath.)::  
  
- up later. So, when we met up with Pettigrew and Siruis and Lupin again the next year, I began to   
worry again that Voldemort would be coming after you. I couldn't help to worry now. And even if Malfoy   
and his little gang, I knew something was cooking.   
  
But then when nothing happened, it reminded me of a book I read. It was about this character who was   
trying to find out who killed her mother.and everyone blamed her father. They even took him away and   
stuff, and only her best friend and her father's friend didn't believe her father did it, and it was really neat   
-  
  
:: ("Hermione?" Harry asked. "Can you get on with your story? No offense, I love you and all, but we'll   
be here all night."  
  
"But isn't that fun? You and me.under the stars," Hermione trailed off, batting her eyelashes.  
  
"Hmm," Harry replied dreamily. He then shook his head. "No! I mean, yes! No, I mean.get your story   
over with.")::  
  
- There's a point to this, now listen Harry. You might learn something interesting. The point is that it   
wasn't her father, and it was his best friend who was acting like everything was all right. So, what I'm   
getting to was that I thought maybe Voldemort was playing low to make people think that he wasn't   
interested anymore.   
  
I went to Dumbledore to confirm these suspicions, and after we did some analyzing we figured out from   
Dumbledore's sources that I was right, Voldemort was playing low.   
  
After that, I realized I had to protect you in some way - I think half of it was out of love and the other   
out of friendship. So I followed you everywhere. Okay. There. I admit it, I followed Harry Potter like a   
love-sick fan. Surprised?  
  
::("No, not really," Harry answered. He scracthed his head. "So that was what you were doing. I thought I   
had something stuck in between my teeth that whole year.I kept racing into the bathrooms to see if   
anything was wrong."  
  
"Uh.no.I thought you were trying to ditch me," Hermione shrugged. "So.")::  
  
- So I realized what I had to do. I protected you and made Ron follow you everywhere I couldn't go.   
Namely, bathrooms, cafeteria, dorms.I paid him.in..gold. He needed the money, and so I gave it to   
him, with a price.don't give me that look Harry Potter, I know things about you I shouldn't know. Ron   
told me. I have blackmail, now drop that look and let me continue with the sixth and seventh year.  
  
Nothing happened in our sixth year. Semi-formals, Beauxbatons arriving again.Fluer hanging out   
around us again was fine, she was very nice.I found some nice cosmetics from her.ANYWAY.   
  
Our seventh year really worried me. This is going to be my last year seeing you Harry. I'm getting a   
mugglejob, I'm not staying in the wizard world.I'm going into human emotions. That's why when you   
disappeared, Dumbledore and a bunch of us went after you. Sirus even came - even Malfoy, can you   
believe that?   
  
::("No," Harry replied, a surprised look on his face, his glasses hanging off the tip of his nose. "I had no   
idea Malfoy would do something.that."  
  
"Nice?" Hermione supplied.   
  
"Exactly," Harry nodded vigorously.)::  
  
Well, anyway. After that happened, we traced you down and found out that Voldemort had taken you to   
your old home - he was sort of a softie when it came to you.he did give you that long speech about how   
you and him were alike in your fourth year. We arrived in time to find you two in a duel. I wanted to shout   
out, but Dumbledore stopped us. He said, quote and un-quote 'Let him be, this is his battle and we will   
only step in if he needs us'. In other words as Ron said, 'If he's about to be screwed, we jump it, right?'.   
  
So we waited. Hid. Pettigrew was taken out easily by Dumbledore. That was when we heard a noise   
coming from you two. Turning, I saw you had Voldemort on his knees, begging for mercy. I have no idea   
how you did it. None, at all.you lost that part of your memory afterwards, Dumbledore set it into the   
back of your mind to be found when you're ready.   
  
Okay. But it was weird.you had this look in your eyes.you looked almost, eviller than him. Is that   
possible? No.not from my Harry Potter. Oh well, we saw you stare him down as he begged for mercy.   
And as you were going to show him, Dumbledore shouted out, "NO! Remember what he did to your   
parents? Neville's parents? The families he ruined? Show no mercy!" And you rose your wand.  
  
(Hermione gulps here) And called out, "Avada Kedavra!" into the night. I've never seen that sinister side   
of you before, but when you fell - unconscious, I ran forward and I knew you were going to be fine. You   
were still my Harry.   
  
Then, after you got out, just a few weeks ago, I began to avoid you, due to I didn't know how to act   
around you. I was nervous that you might get that same look in your eyes when talking to me.but I knew   
you couldn't. So I came here. To read.   
  
And I guess you found me. Or I dropped in on you. (Hermione chuckles here) Know, that this was my   
story. Hermione's story. But whatever happens after the Graduation service tomorrow, always remember   
this Harry Potter.   
  
I still love you, and always will.   
  
The End.  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Co. They belong to J.K. Rowling or someone powerful like that.  
Anita: This is the sequel to "Out on a Limb" or uh.the prequel. The "I" is Hermione, telling her whole   
story.  



End file.
